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 Tourism on track
I would like to comment on the magnificent Riverina Highlands Rail Trail, which runs through our property.
There are many things that I cannot change. For instance, four years of drought, poor commodity prices, poor soils, and our distance from the major centres of population and decision makers are all out of my control.
When we do return to normal seasons will there be four times the income to make up for the years of none? Probably not.
The Riverina Highlands Rail Trail is an opportunity to bring in tourists who care about their health and want to see the country. They will come with money and they are interested in the way of life which is so different to city living. The tourists present a chance to revive our little rural villages.
So what can I do? I can prepare home-cooked soup, jams and cakes like grandma made, offer hospitality and a bed at $100 a night.
I can listen to people who want to talk and I can tell my story - why I live in this beautiful place, why I love working with sheep and cattle, and what I love about the vineyard.
I can explain why we dock lambs' tails, why we mules and how we are working away from mulesing via a breeding program.
And I can say why we encourage good insects in our vineyard and pastures, but why we have to control the bad ones. Unlike many around here, I am not afraid of tourists.
I welcome opportunities to demonstrate my working dog, Meg, and how my husband Mike shears a sheep.
It's a chance to build a bridge with city people who want to come here, enjoy the fresh air and stunning scenery, and connect with those who live here. I know there are issues that must be sorted out. Our livestock must be secure, there needs to be plenty of facilities like toilets and drinking water, signs that tell folk what is expected of them, and accommodation and transport arrangements.
We are the last state in Australia to get on this tourism money wagon. Can't we work together and grab this opportunity to build tourism in this struggling rural community?
Judy Slack-Smith
Humula, NSW |
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